In a surprising turn of events at Tuesday’s impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the House prosecution panel abruptly withdrew two scheduled witnesses, including Office of the Vice President (OVP) Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez. The sudden decision came despite Lopez having already arrived at the Senate earlier that afternoon.
Shortly after 7 p.m., private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan addressed the impeachment court—presided over by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero—and announced that the prosecution would no longer call upon Lopez to testify regarding Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment.
Kapunan, a seasoned trial lawyer, clarified that Lopez’s testimony was deemed unnecessary as it would not offer any new, substantial value to proving the prosecution’s allegations.
“Redundant,” Kapunan said, describing the expected testimony.
Article IV focuses on charges of inciting to sedition and grave threats, which stem from a November 23, 2024, press conference where Vice President Duterte issued threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and members of the First Family.
Under standard impeachment guidelines, the prosecution retains full authority over how many witnesses they call and the order in which they appear.
The move to discard Lopez as a hostile witness caught many off guard, given that her appearance had been highly anticipated. Records from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau (PRIB) indicated that Lopez arrived at the premises at 1:58 p.m. following a court-issued subpoena.
Alongside Lopez, prosecutors also dropped Capt. Belinda Bello of the House of Representatives Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) from their lineup for Article IV. Kapunan explained that Bello’s statements would have merely mirrored the evidence that has already been entered into the record.
“Corroborative,” Kapunan said.
Up to this point, the prosecution has rested its Article IV case on testimonies from two National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officials: John Mark Calilung and Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc.
However, during a post-hearing press briefing, Kapunan noted that the door is not completely closed for Lopez; she could still be subpoenaed later if her testimony becomes relevant to the remaining three articles of impeachment.